SPATIAL EVALUATION OF GROUNDWATER POTABILITY IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF NORALA, SOUTH COTABATO

This study was conducted to evaluate groundwater potability in the Municipality of Norala, South Cotabato through Spatial Analysis of its groundwater. Maps of different parameters such as Hardness, Electrical Conductivity/Salinity, pH, Turbidity, Total Suspended Solids (TSS), Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), E. coli, and ions such as Nitrate, Phosphate and Mercury were generated, Water Quality Indices (WQI) were calculated and were analyzed based on standards set by Philippine National Standards for Drinking Water (PNSDW), World Health Organization (WHO), and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Results show that all samples gathered were classified as Highly Potable under parameters such as pH Level, E. coli count, and Nitrate content, 87.5 % were classified as Highly Potable for parameters such Total Suspended Solids (TSS) and Phosphate content, 75% were classified under Potable range for Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), 62.5% were also classified under Potable range for Electrical Conductivity and 75% were classified under Moderately Potable for Hardness parameter but majority of the samples, which constitutes 75%, were classified as Currently Not Potable for Turbidity and 37.5% of the samples were found to have Mercury content exceeding the standard amount and were classified as Currently Not Potable. By calculating the Water Quality Indices, the groundwater sources in Norala were found to be ranging between Excellent to Good quality but rated as Unfit for drinking for those sampling points that were found to have Mercury.